Powell Promises to Use Fed’s Powers to Prevent Higher Inflation from Becoming Entrenched

The Epoch Times Header

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, newly appointed for a second four-year term as chief of the central bank, said on Nov. 22 that he would use the Fed’s arsenal to prevent inflation from becoming a more permanent feature of American life.

Powell made the remarks at a White House press briefing at which President Joe Biden announced his reappointment while also nominating Lael Brainard, member of the Fed’s governing board, to serve as Federal Reserve vice chair.

“We know that high inflation takes a toll on families, especially those less able to meet the higher costs of essentials, like food, housing, and transportation,” Powell said, acknowledging the disproportionately high impact of accelerating prices on lower-income Americans.

After Biden announced the two nominations, he praised Powell’s commitment to the “maximum employment” component of the Fed’s dual mandate, while noting Powell’s role in stewarding the Fed through a “landmark review” that saw the central bank adopt a more flexible inflation targeting regime. This basically allowed the Fed to temporarily overshoot its objective of 2 percent inflation in order to pump more money into the economy to ensure a more solid labor market recovery.

“When our country was hemorrhaging jobs last year and there was panic in our financial markets, Jay’s steady and decisive leadership helped to stabilize markets and put our economy on track to a robust recovery,” Biden said of Powell.

Yet the unprecedented level of monetary stimulus—which involved some $120 billion in monthly asset purchases and dropping interest rates to near zero—along with massive fiscal measures, have also had an unwanted side effect, helping push up inflation to levels not seen in over 30 years.

“Today, the economy is expanding at its fastest pace in many years, carrying the promise of a return to maximum employment,” Powell said, with “maximum employment” a condition the Fed defines as the lowest level of unemployment the economy can sustain while maintaining a stable rate of inflation. Since there will always be some people between jobs, this rate will never be zero, and so economists generally put it at between 3 percent and 5 percent, while Atlanta Fed chief Raphael Bostic recently defined it as a condition where “every American who wants a job has one.”

Powell, echoing his oft-repeated view that pandemic-related supply-side dislocations have played a major role in pushing up prices, said, “The unprecedented reopening of the economy, along with the continuing effects of the pandemic, led to supply and demand imbalances, bottlenecks, and a burst of inflation.”

The most recent Labor Department report on consumer prices showed that inflation in the 12 months through October hit 6.2 percent, the highest pace in 31 years.

By Tom Ozimek

Read Full Article on TheEpochTimes.com

The Epoch Times
The Epoch Timeshttps://www.theepochtimes.com/
Tired of biased news? The Epoch Times is truthful, factual news that other media outlets don't report. No spin. No agenda. Just honest journalism like it used to be.

Columns

Viewers like you

There is no constitutional authority for any spending on public broadcasting – period. Any questions: See Article 1, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution.

Beyond the Trump-Musk fallout?

We are witnessing an unprecedented, unhinged Democrat effort to use lawfare, big Democrat donors, street theater, congressional disruptions, potty-mouth videos, the administrative state, the legacy media, and discredited pollsters to stop the Trump agenda.

Trans-wormal

No worm ever said "I am anthropomorphizing, I am a butterfly" to a toad or flock of geese and expected acknowledgement and support.

In Greenland’s Icy Capital, Past Troubles Haunt Hopes for the Future

As geopolitical realities and ongoing economic growth raise the stakes, U.S. interest in Greenland and the dream of independence may change things in a big way.

How a Chinese Government Statistician Was Forced to Report Fake Data

Chinese local govt employee produced a non-authorized report on bees and was visited by police and threatened with being sent to a mental hospital.

News

Supreme Court Sides With DOGE in Social Security, Records Cases

The Supreme Court handed DOGE two big wins late on June 6 in its effort to reduce the size of the federal government.

Kilmar Abrego Garcia Returns to US to Face Criminal Charges

Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a citizen of El Salvador, is on his way back to the US, where he will face criminal charges for allegedly smuggling illegal immigrants.

White House Adviser Gives Update on DOGE’s Future Amid Musk–Trump Spat

A top White House adviser said DOGE’s work will likely continue amid a spat between its former chief, Elon Musk, and President Donald Trump.

Trump Administration Asks Supreme Court to Allow Dismantling of Education Department

Trump admin asked Supreme Court to allow it to resume dismantling U.S. Dept of Education, following a lower court’s previous order halting process.

FTC Warns of Rising Student Loan Scams, Says Fraudsters Took Millions From Borrowers

FTC is warning borrowers to steer clear of student loan debt-relief scams, after shutting down group of companies that allegedly charged millions in illegal fees and left customers worse off.

Walmart’s Drone Delivery Coming to 5 More US Cities

Walmart is set to launch its drone delivery service in five more U.S. cities: Atlanta, Charlotte, Houston, Orlando, and Tampa, the company.

Court Orders Trump Administration to Restore AmeriCorps Funding to States

Federal court ordered Trump admin to restore AmeriCorps funding to states. The ruling comes as part of a lawsuit filed by 24 states and DC.

Tax Deductions You Can Take Without Itemizing

It’s not always beneficial to itemize. With IRS’s current standard deduction for 2025 most Americans who can’t itemize go with standard deduction.
spot_img

Related Articles